Iris: A Professor Layton FanFic
by MrsCliveDove
Summary: Anton Herzen is a quiet, shy young man who is constantly pestered by his father to find a wife. One day, Anton meets a beautiful woman named Sophia, who shocks him with her charm and intellect. The pair know that they are soulmates, so they plan to marry. When devistation hits, Anton is left alone and heartbroken... This is the real story behind the life of Anton Herzen.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**** Hello! I thank you in advance for even clicking on my FanFiction! I have put a lot of heart into planning and writing this story so far, and I really hope that you enjoy it! I am a HUGE Professor Layton nerd, and one of my favourite couples has to be Anton and Sophia from Diabolical Box (or Pandora's Box). It would be greatly appreciated if you left a review and such. I am new to the website and I am very busy, so I cannot guarentee when the next chapter will be up; so stay tuned! I have great plans for the story behind Anton and Sophia! Oh and it is Anton's point of view by the way! Enjoy!**

The night was getting dark already. From my open window, I could hear the chatter of people below and the sound of horses trotting away with their carriages. I sighed as I fastened the top button on my dress shirt. Father had only announced just this morning that he would be throwing yet another ball at the castle. He pretended like I still hadn't caught onto his plan, but I knew all too well.

Since my 20th birthday, Father has been urging me to find a wife and settle down. It has been 4 long years of back and forth, parties here and there, Father inviting as many eligible bachelorettes as he could contact. He would usher me into conversations or dance after dance with various women; but the truth was that none of them were genuine. Every young lady I had met thus far were either being un-naturally kind or fawning towards me. That just didn't interest me.

I had just put on my necklace when there was a knock at my bedroom door.

"Come in" I answered hesitantly.

I was facing the mirror to adjust my shirt when I heard the door quickly open and shut, followed by the shuffling of small feet. I sighed in relief when I recognized the steps as not my Father's, but my younger brother Fredrich's. I quickly straightened my shirt collar as he came closer.

"Hm. I wouldn't expect you to be quite ready yet, Anton." Fredrich commented as he came to stand beside me, "You'd best hurry up. You never know; that special lady could be waiting for you in the ballroom!"

I spent a brief silence between us retrieving my long navy jacket off the hook next to my mirror. As I shrugged it on, I glanced at my brother in the mirror. Fredrich, standing not much taller than my hips, wore a small grey vest and matching pants, which were just a few shades away from the black of his hair. The smirk he had on his little face showed that he was still waiting for an answer.

"Oh, don't nag me, brother. Soon enough, Father will be harping on you as well to get a wife!"

Fredrich chuckled as he too checked his appearance in the mirror.

"Well I cannot deny that. But at least I know what I will do with my life. That is, if you still wish to hand the mines over to me.."

Fredrich would always put this decision on me. Since I am the eldest son, Father will pass the owning if the family mines and the title of Duke of Folsense down to me once the time comes. Father will make efforts to have a serious business conversation with me, and I will pretend to be engaged in the topic. I did not want to inherit the mines, and Fredrich was the only one who knew that. He was the son who really wanted to carry on the family business, and he always convinced himself that I would give them to him. Clearly, he didn't know father as well as I did. Father would never allow me to pass the mines down to my younger brother. Even though I wouldn't do it much good anyway, I had to take the mines. I had no choice.

"Besides," Fredrich interrupted my thoughts, "once I -or you- own the mines, Father will have no say in the matter. I hate it when he thinks he can just overrule any opinion I try to include in decision making. I am 18 now, I should have a say as well!"

"I agree." I mentioned as I slipped into my blue shoes. Fredrich could never make ends meet with Father. Both had quite a temper, and when the tension rose, so did the volume of their voices. I acted as the peace-keeper, though I wasn't often successful. Fredrich was about to begin another rant, until I was spared of hearing it yet again by a familiar pattern of hollow knocks at the door.

The knocker did not wait for an answer, but he poked his nose through the open crack of the door. Fredrich and I turned in unison to see Nigel, the Herzen Family Butler, waiting for our attention. Nigel opened the door a tad more so he had room to stand, and then delivered his message to us.

"Master Anton. Master Fredrich. The ball is commencing. The Duke wishes your presence in the ballroom at once."

I sighed again and rubbed my brow. For a moment I contemplated hiding in the castle as far away from the ballroom as I could manage. But if I didn't go now, it would be father coming to get me next time.

"Thank you Nigel. We will be down in a moment." I said back flatly.

Nigel nodded in acknowledgment, and with a glint of his round glasses, he was gone. The door had been left ajar, so the sweet melody of the band and the white noise of multiple conversations drifted slowly into the room.

"Better late than never." Fredrich said under his breath before exiting the room confidently.

Whilst dragging my feet in despair, I began to follow him towards the ballroom.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

As I progressed down the hallway, the noise of the ball became louder. I could hear the scratch of the violin and the clicks of the many ladies' shoes. I thought for a moment, maybe this time could really be it. Maybe, I would find that one girl for me. Then I shook my head and thought rationally. Father invited all of the women here, and he wouldn't know what I wanted if his life depended on it. Just before rounding the corner to the stairs leading down to the ballroom, I stopped. Me, being the area's most eligible bachelor (as Father liked to put it), would be treated with a grand entrance and a speech as soon as I was spotted, no doubt. I poked my head out from around the corner.

The ball room was filled with multicoloured dresses and matching suits for the men. I could easily spot Fredrich, him being the dip in a level-headed crowd. I cautiously scanned the room for any sign of Father. After a minute or two, I concluded that he was not in range of seeing me. I planned to go around the long way, so that I could sneak onto the ballroom floor without being noticed right away. With a deep breath, I began to walk forward, into the open. I moved slowly, but at the same time, fast enough so that I wouldn't look suspicious. When I reached a column, I would stop, and then re-scan my surroundings. I continued this past the grand staircase, until I reached the long side hallway of the rectangular ballroom. I felt so childish, making such an effort to stay out of Father's sight. But I knew that as soon as I was caught, there was a very slim chance of escaping.

"There you are, my boy!" a booming voice came from below. I stopped in my tracks, eyes still looking ahead to the shelter of the column I had just about reached. Only a few more steps, and I could have-

"Attention, everyone!" my Father called out to the guests. The crowd quieted to a murmur as Father stopped the musicians and then announced, "My eldest son, the future Duke of Folsense, has now entered the ball!"

I daringly averted my gaze from the column to the crowd. So many pairs of watching eyes were set on me. Pressured into the moment, I cracked a smile, and stood straight. Father, seemingly excited, bounded up the small staircase that remained between me and the ballroom floor. He put his arm around my shoulders tightly, crushing my high collar into my face.

"The young bachelor, Anton Herzen!" Father yelled.

The guests applauded at my entrance, though they were all shown up by two pink-haired women in the front of the pack. The two, appearing to be twins, clapped and cheered, both with their floral gowns and wide eyes. I recoiled at the thought of them firing questions at me, or trying to woo me in all of the wrong ways like so many others had.

"Where have you been?" Father hissed at me through his crowd-pleasing smile.

"I apologize Father, I-"

"Now now, no time for excuses. Look presentable, and go find yourself a wife!" He said before going back down the steps and dragging me along with him.

We walked together about halfway across the ballroom floor, where we reached a group of people that I recognized as Father's old friends. I waved hello to them before Father removed his arm around me and instead put his hands on my shoulders. He looked me straight in the eye and waited a moment before speaking.

"Anton. I have set you up with quite a few young ladies tonight that I am sure you will like!"

I scoffed at his words. He must have heard it, because his expression turned hard and his voice serious.

"You're 24 years of age, Anton. You should have found a wife long ago! I am trying to be a helpful father, and in return I would like some respect!"

Just before I opened my mouth to reply, I heard giggles and clicks of shoes from behind me. Father's face turned from angry to friendly in a moment.

'Here they come..' I thought

"Ah! Son," he spun me around to face my fate, "this here is Minnie and Mandy! They are the daughters of Lord Andrew. Say hello, girls!"

It was the pink-haired twins from before. Up close, their stone-grey eyes were even larger. I wasn't sure as to if they were naturally like that, or if they widened them to extremes on purpose.

"Hellooooo Anton!" The girls cooed together before curtseying.

The shorter of the two, Minnie, twiddled her fingers together nervously while Mandy twirled a strand of hair around her index finger.

"Eh, hello girls, nice to meet you both." I put on my best gentlemanly act. Just because I thoroughly despised these events didn't mean I had to act like it. Besides, I had the Herzen reputation to uphold.

Father patted my back in an effort to be encouraging, before pivoting and returning to his friends. I let out a slightly relieved sigh. Now all that was left was to get out of the ballroom.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

It had to have been at least thirty minutes, though when I glanced up at the large wall clock, only 10 minutes had gone by. The twins had been babbling on about this and that the whole time. Even when one asked me a question, I was given a maximum of 2 seconds to answer before getting cut off by the other twin. My head was beginning to spin, so I tried an excuse so we could part ways.

"Excuse me, girls. I hate to interrupt this conversation, but I have grown quite parched." I said while trying to back away.

Mandy and Minnie traded looks. My glance continued to bounce back and forth between them.

"Now that you mention it, Anton, so are we!" Mandy piped up while her sister nodded in agreement.

Damn.

Before I knew it, The girls took the liberty of tightly linking their arms through either of mine. I let out a surrendering breath, as we began our way across the floor to the drink table. I received quite a few stares from other guests, which I returned with nervous glances.

"So, what's it like living in such a large castle with only one brother?" Mandy singsonged as she ran a gloved finger along the edge of my jacket collar.

"Well it's-" I managed to get out before Minnie chimed in when she had the chance.

"Probably cold. And quiet, right? We have 6 brothers and 3 sisters, so our castle is never quiet!"

I took another swing at answering.

"That sounds-"

"That's like... " Mandy looked down to her hands, where she lifted fingers one at a time and counted under her breath.

"9 kids, right? Yes. We have 9 kids altogether in our family!" Mandy grinned at her own accomplishment.

I stared at her with an encouraging grin and waited to see if she would notice her mistake. Minnie had seemed to, as she was thinking out loud.

"9... That makes sense... But I feel like I'm forgetting someone.."

I rolled my eyes. Honestly, I could not withstand this much longer. In the corner of my eye, I could see Mandy eyeing the stone on my necklace. Her delicate finger moved from my collar necklace to touch the blue topaz, while she muttered, "Is that real...?"

My fake smile was beginning to fade, right when Fredrich waltzed up to us.

"Hello, Anton." Fredrich greeted me as always. Then he caught sight of the identical twins on my arms. His natural smirk suddenly transformed into a sleazy grin.

"... Ladies." He said, before bowing and slicking back his hair.

Mandy and Minnie giggled lightly. I lifted an eyebrow at Fredrich to question what he was up to, but the wink he gave me told me that he was trying to help.

"I see that my elder brother here has neglected to give you fine ladies a proper dance. May I?"

Fredrich held out a small hand as an offering. Mandy and Minnie looked at each other before nodding and releasing their death-grips on my arms. They each took one of Fredrich's hands, and walked towards the dance floor. I took a deep breath and rubbed my face. Fredrich had really saved me that time. Though knowing my brother, he would eventually want something in return. I thought for a moment. This was likely another way he was trying to butter me up into handing down the mines to him.

I finally made my way over to the drink table, where I was handed a refreshment by a server. I suppose that the server had seen me coming, because he had poured me my favourite drink, red wine. I thanked him and then leaned up against the nearest wall, away from the radar of other guests. As I sipped, I contemplated my escape plan. It was either up the main stairs, or up the smaller stairs on the edges of the ballroom. Of course, the main stairs were far too risky: they were the centerpiece of the room. My only chance of getting out was the way I came in. Except, do it better this time. I laughed to myself while looking down into my small glass of wine, which I then sipped from again.

I now had my method. But what was my destination? My mind quickly ran through possible hide outs in the castle. Servants would be coming in and out of the kitchen. The den and my bedroom would be too obvious. That would be the first place father would look once he realized I wasn't present in the ballroom. I continued searching for possibilities, until it struck me. The stain-glass room, located in the back corner of the castle would be perfect. It was away from the noise and hype of the party, and it was also close to the kitchen. I might be able to steal a few pastries from the baker's table... I imagined a batch of strawberry turnovers, fresh from the oven.

I had my motivation. I swiftly set the half-full wine glass on the nearest table, scanned my surroundings for suspicious eyes, and then made a run for it.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello everyone :) Sorry for 2 short chapters in a row! I'm leading up to something big! Please stay tuned! -MrsCliveDove**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

The huge oak door closed with a light click behind me. I exhaled; I had been nervously holding my breath since I left the ballroom. Making it out of there the second time wasn't as bad as I had imagined. As far as I knew, no one had seen me. All of the guests had been occupied by dancing with their lovers. Just before I'd left the ballroom, I quickly glanced back, and my eyes found Fredrich dancing in the middle of the floor with one of the twins. From that distance, I couldn't tell which twin was awkwardly bent over so that they could be closer to Fredrich's eye level. He seemed satisfied, although his hands barely touched her waist, even when he was reaching. The other pink-haired twin stood by and giggled before switching places with her sister. I smiled, glad that they were having a good time.

Before arriving at my hideout, I had snuck into the kitchen to try and find the strawberry turnovers I was craving. The full tray I held now was enough to say how successful I was. I continued to lean back on the door for a moment longer, acting like a sort of barricade in case anyone tried to come in after me. When I was sure I was alone, my feet helped me push off from the door, and cross the lush carpet.

No matter how many times in a day I came here, the stain glass room never ceased to impress me. The whole wall across from the door was built into a mosaic of coloured glass; the wall being separated into thirds by marble columns. Only moonlight lit the room, and the rays of it changed colour along with the glass it fell through. With both hands still holding the tray of pastries, I walked silently towards the right side of the room, where a fireplace, two chairs and a table sat. The forest green leather chairs were angled to each other, both sharing the small wooden table. I set down the tray on the table with a small clang. I stood for a moment, hands on my hips, wondering what to do next. Only when my body tensed into a shiver, did I realize how cold it was in here. Within a minute, I had retrieved a box of matches from the mantle, and lit a fire in the space below it. Slowly and steadily, the fire roared to life. I smiled at my own handiwork, before going back to the chairs to relax.

I sat back into the coolness of the leather, crossing my right leg over the other and holding my head in my hand. The heat of the fire was now reaching my face while my fingertips played a soft beat on the chair arm. I was waiting. Questions appeared and floated through my mind:

How long would I have to wait here?

Would someone come along and find me? Was this just a waste of time? What if I'd given up too early, and I was missing out on finally meeting someone for me?

I was becoming overwhelmed, but my mind wouldn't come to a halt.

Would Minnie and Mandy have noticed my disappearance by now? Had father? Why was I being so childish? Why couldn't I just be the man my father had wanted me to be? Why didn't I just give into the years upon years of pressure?

Why

Why

WHY

I stood up with a start. My legs, suddenly becoming so straight, pushed back the chair so the feet dragged backward and tugged on the carpet underneath. My fists were clenched so my nails dug into my palms, and my face was sweaty. I was furious with the way I had acted. My mind screamed out from the inside, though I made no sound. All I could hear the distant ticking of the antique wall clock. It was only then that I realized how long the old, real me had been dead... It was too hot in here. The fire was flickering intensely. I needed air. I needed some air... Without a second thought I ran towards the outside door and out onto the balcony.

The summer night's air was hypnotizing. As soon as I had desperately opened the door to the balcony, it came in like a wave. I was now leaning cautiously over the balcony railing. My mind was numb from the dropping temperature, but the numbness eased the heat from only moments ago. My elbows, propped up on the railing, supported my chin. I sighed in defeat. I didn't even know who I was, or what I was trying to be anymore. I stood, shifting my weight back and forth anxiously. One of my hands left my face so my fingers could run through the waves in my hair. It was silky and blonde, just like my mother's had been... This was actually the longest it had ever been in a while, hanging a little past my ears. As Icontinued to comb through my hair, I loosened a lock that was tucked behind my ear, and it fell into my face. The strand dangled over my nose, and my eyes became crossed just looking at it. The end of it started tickling my skin, so I carefully blew on it, just enough so that it would hover at eye level then drop again. I snickered to myself. God, I was so easily amused. I felt like a kitten playing with a ball of yarn. I tried adding a bit more hair, just to see if it had the same effect. I let out a quiet chuckle when it did, over and over and over...

"Need to get a haircut soon, I suppose?" A woman laughed softly from behind me.

Startled, I spun instantly to face my confronter. The woman, now in front of me, had lilac hair that was tied into a long braid down her back. Her dress was baby blue and accented with a pattern of pink roses. Her hands nervously tugged on the hem of her corset, before one lifted to her head to tuck a stray bit of hair behind her ear.

And that's when I noticed her face. Flawless fair skin, a small nose, a kind smile, and sparkling emerald eyes. After years of feeling dead, I felt my heart begin to beat again.

**Hey everyone! I am soooo sorry that I haven't uploaded in like a week _ I've been really busy with school assignments, plus suffering from writers block, so I wrote like all of this yesterday. I feel like it was kind of crappy at the beginning of this chapter, but I'm not too sure. Please leave your comments in the reviews, I would really like to know what you guys think of the story so far and younger Anton and such :P Thank you very much to everyone that has favourited this story, it makes me very happy! Well, I have to go now. I'm in Technology class, and I'm not supposed to be in FanFiction! Talk to you all soon! –MrsCliveDove **

**ps: I apologize for any mis-spelled words. I type the whole thing from notes on my phone!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Fellow PL Nerds :D OOH LOOK AN UPDATE YAHH.**

**So I now realize that each chapter is going to take me about a week to write, which is sad for how long they end up being. My classes are just jamming work on me, and I have a Quadratics test and a World War 1 test tomorrow. *sigh* It sucks. ANYWAY I will try my best to get the next chapter started this weekend! And thank you again Seventh Sunset for all the wonderful reviews you post. Makes me feel amazing! *blows kiss to the crowd*….did I just make it awkward?... Yeah, maybe you should read now…. -MrsCliveDove**

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Chapter 5:

I couldn't speak. My mind was wondering how she found me, but my heart was saying something I could not yet decipher. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment for not having a reply. All I could do was watch as the woman's expression became worried.

"I'm terribly sorry if I scared you, it was not my intention." She spoke softly. A hand rose, open and level to her shoulders, creating the feeling that she meant no harm.

I coughed to clear my throat, now forcing myself to speak.

"Well, I wouldn't say scared. I was merely..." I paused, stood straighter and clasped my hands together behind my back, "...startled."

Then I noticed the piece of hair still dangling in my face. I franticly tried to put it back behind my ear, attempting to keep a mature image. Not like it would have helped; any reputational stature I had melted as soon as I heard her voice.

The woman giggled again.

I smiled in return, rosy cheeked for the second time. Though a question still lingered on my lips. I had to say it before I wasn't able to anymore.

"If I may ask, how did you know I was up here?"

A smile crawled across her small lips, like she was recalling a comical event.

"Well back in the ballroom, I was on my way over to introduce myself. Though as I walked through the crowd, I saw that you had disappeared from where you were. That's when my eyes caught you running down the side hallway farther into the castle. It took me a bit to find you, but I couldn't leave without saying hello." She said, ending with a light sigh.

"I didn't hear you come in." I questioned. The woman lifted the hem of her dress skirt to reveal her small feet.

"Flat bottomed shoes. I've always dreaded the annoying clicks of those heeled shoes!" She explained before looking back up at me. "Ugh, how rude. I seem to have forgotten my manners!" The woman made a gesture, hitting herself in the forehead. "My name is Sophia." Sophia pinched the fabric of her dress on either side and curtsied.

Sophia... That name rang through my mind.

"I am Anton Herzen." I said back, bowing slightly. I took Sophia's hand, and gently kissed it. "Very pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Ooh. A gentleman. I am very impressed Anton." She laughed before turning towards the end of the balcony, and resting her elbows on the railing. I did the same. For a few moments, we both just stared out over the scenery.

A mixed-wood forest spread for miles north behind the back garden. The damp, dewy branches of the trees reflected the light of the full moon, creating the illusion of stars on earth. The sky was dark purple, except for shades of orange that emanated from the east, above the main square of Folsense. That part of town was always so alive. Lights from the hotel and other little shops created an aura of welcomeness. I'd meant to visit the townsfolk for about a week now, but I had never found the time for it. Father seemed to be purposely loading my spare time with various amounts of paperwork; mostly on topics of the family mines or new laws to be considered in Folsense. This thought brought my mind back to father.

"So. Miss Sophia. Did my father invite you here tonight by chance?" I asked her casually. I slowly swiveled my head towards her and waited for a response.

"In fact he did. Very kindly, I might add. Just this morning, I woke to the sound of horses out my window. Your father-" she hesitated, "er, the Duke, had sent a lovely invitation to my residence. I was so delighted to receive it, especially coming from a town so far away from mine. I was telling my maid about the evening ahead of me, and that's when she mentioned you, Anton."

I was still looking at her, but I was surprised when her green eyes locked to mine; her right eyebrow slightly cocked.

"Word has it; you're the most eligible bachelor in the area." She said with a sliver of mischievousness, matched with a playful smile.

I grinned closed-lipped. I hated hearing that, but I tried not to look like it. My eyes fell back down to the tree-line at the edge of the garden while I bit my tongue, afraid of saying anything I'd regret later.

I wasn't sure if Sophia had laughed or sighed then, but the tone it was in told me that she knew I didn't want to hear another word of it. When I finally faced her again, I realized that she was shivering. The temperature must have dropped radically since I came outside, because I could now see our breath being transformed into mist. I did the first thing that came to my mind.

"Here." I swiftly slipped off my jacket and laid it on her shoulders.

She now saw what I was doing, and tried to object, teeth chattering.

"But won't you be cold?"

"No, I'll be fine. Besides... It's the duty of a gentleman." I said casually, spreading my hands wide, and then twining them back together to keep them warm. I took a few steps to the right of her along the railing.

Sophia slid her arms through the sleeves, and then sighed in relief as her body warmed up. The jacket seemed to fit her well. Of course, it was a bit big, but the curve of the bottom of the jacket matched that of her dress skirt; as if they were made to be worn together.

"Thank you, Anton." She spoke in a small voice.

Our eyes met on another's again. Sophia's body was turned towards the end of the balcony, but her torso was half-tuned towards me. At this angle, the collar of my jacket hid a majority of her face, though her eyes were still visible. They shone with a white tint from the moonlight.

I nodded at her in acknowledgement.

"You know," the tips of my fingers tapped on the wood of the railing absentmindedly, "you don't have to call him that."

Sophia's eyes narrowed and her eyebrows knit with confusion.

"I don't know what you mean." She questioned.

"My father. Calling him the Duke. You don't have to. There's no need to sound un-naturally formal around me."

Sophia shook her head. "I'm sorry." She apologized, "It's just old habit.

"How so?"

Sophia's fingers rubbed her collarbone, as if she were nervous.

"Well, it's family rules. Inside of the household, you may address father as such. But outside, he is to be called by his title, Lord William."

I'd heard that name before. Lord William ruled quite a large town about a 2 hour train ride from Folsense. He was often in the paper, boasting about new policies or ways to improve his town. I'd never met the man personally, though I'm sure Father had. Men as high ranked as them got together on business quite frequently; sometimes just for tea.

We stood in silence for a few moments more.

"Would you care to accompany me inside, Sophia? It's gotten quite cold, and I suspect that if someone were to come out to the garden, they would find us here." I asked her, hoping she would agree.

Sophia giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. I noticed that her nails were polished in the same purple as her hair.

"Why yes, Anton. I will."

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**So? What'd ya think? I enjoyed writing this chapter. I wanted their first meeting to be kinda awkward, but cute and friendly at the same time. Where it talks about Anton's jacket fitting around Sophia's dress skirt, I imagined it like 2 puzzle pieces fitting together… keh heh heh, clever huh? But I really want to hear what you guys think of Anton's character so far! Please please please drop a review; tell me what you like or what you don't like about him! It will help me develop his character more! Constructive criticism is always appreciated. Thanks so much guys, you're awesome! –MrsCliveDove (Erin ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello everyone :D I'm so very sorry that this has taken over a week to update! I just haven't been writing as much as I'd hoped! I wrote all of this when I woke up this morning, so I hope you enjoy!**

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Chapter 6:

I politely held open the door as Sophia glided through, my jacket making a ruffling sound against the fabric of her dress as she moved. Once inside, she kept walking until she reached the centre of the block of light coming in from the window. She stopped, and then twirled to face the wall of stain glass. After bolting the door to the balcony, I looked in her direction, to see panels of red, blue and green light falling onto her face.

"I would give up all of the useless rooms in my home for just one like this." She muttered, eyes flickering wondrously over the waves of glass.

I chuckled at her remark. Frankly, if I had it my way, I would do the same thing just so I could make the stain glass room bigger.

"My mother herself commissioned this room to be built." I mentioned, walking deeper into the room, but still sticking to the shadows. "She used to sit with me every day here. Me, being a young child, of course." My hands found their way into the front pockets of my pants. I sighed heavily, my expression neutral. "This was our favourite room; still is."

"I think it's my favourite, too." Sophia spoke. Her face turned towards me, eyes squinting in order to see me through the contrast of light and dark. Then she smiled. The corners of her delicate glossed lips curved up, radiating a feeling of kindness and a warm touch...

I jumped, hearing a noise that snapped myself out of the daze I had been in. The now low-burning fire had begun to crackle. Sophia's eyes had caught the source of the small pops, as she had started walking towards the fireplace, not too far behind my back. She wordlessly passed me, walking in a delicate yet confident manner. I wondered what she was up to. I spun around, just in time to see her crouch down, pick up the fire-poker and prod at the charred logs.

"No no! Allow me!" I rushed past the sitting chairs and over to her side, "A young lady such as you does not need to worry with such a task." I persuaded, holding out my hand to get the poker back.

Sophia huffed, a challenging smirk surfacing under the orange flicker of the fire. Her mischievous-looking eyes went back to the fire. She swiftly used the poker to make space between the two burning logs, before rising back up and returning the poker to its holder on the left of the fireplace. Next, Sophia picked up another log of wood from the pile in the corner, and threw it into the fire with ease. I was still crouched in the same position as before, still deciding where to direct my astonished expression to; the now roaring fire or Sophia. I noticed a few sparks fly up, but they were not close enough to me to be a threat. I had to remember to close my open mouth before I finally chose to look at Sophia. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, and she reflected assurance. A hand lifted to fiddle with the end of her braid.

"Just because it is classified as a man's job, Mr. Herzen, doesn't mean that a woman cannot perform it as well!" Sophia preached. She winked at me, then moved back to sit in the latter of the leather chairs.

Now I was sure that I had never met a girl like this before; and I doubted that I ever would again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hellooooo eveeryyyboodddyyyyy! ARE YOU READY TO RAWWWKK?!**

**Sorry.**

**Went a little Sammy Thunder there :P (FlyLikeAJabberjay, formally known as daninikki, ask me about it at school, I'll fill you in)**

**Anyway, again, another late update. I feel horrible for not having regular updates like so many other amazing Layton-FanFic authors on here! But, I'm not going to go on making any excuses! I was just babysitting yesterday for like 5 hours, and I figured that I would try my hardest to get this chapter done while the kids I was watching played Wii. And then this chapter happened. WARNING I was even fangirl-squealing while writing the end of this chapter (now you have to read it!), so look out! It's not much, but I thought it would be a cute thing to include! Well, it seems that it is time to post this little chappy, finish listening to ABBA, go get in my pajamas and play a few hours of Miracle Mask! (someone tell me that I'm not the only one who is falling for Henry Ledore... like not weirdly, I just think he's freaking awesome)**

**Without further ado, Enjoy! -Erin**

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Chapter 7:

I closed my eyes briefly and laughed under my breath. I stood up from my crouched position by the fire, and strut towards the chair that matched the one Sophia was in. Her eyes followed me as I turned 180 degrees, and fell back into the stiff chair. I looked at her, both of us wearing sarcastic grins.

"Couldn't have done it better myself, Miss Sophia."

"Why thank you!" Her expression grew to a wide smile as she absentmindedly smoothed out her dress, her eyes following her hands. "I am not an extreme feminist like my mother, but I do believe that women are capable of much more than we are made out to be." She said.

We both paused to think.

"Well I think that is a very special trait that not many women have the courage to possess." I mentioned quietly.

Before she could look at me again, I quickly averted my eyes, suddenly finding interest in a loose thread hanging from my shirt sleeve. Damn these nerves. I wasn't sure what to say next. Sophia must have been feeling the same, because she never made a sound with the exception of clearing her throat. Pops surfaced from the fire; the quiet ticks of the wall clock sounded over the echo of the previous. Then I smelt strawberries. Strange...My eyes rose from my hands to meet the tray of strawberry turnovers that was still sitting on the table between Sophia and I. My right hand shook nervously as I reached for the tray and picked it up.

"..Strawberry Turnover..?" I casually offered.

Before Sophia could answer, the clock made a hollow sound, followed by a series of low bell tolls; 11 to be exact. Sophia's eyes shot towards the clock, then gasped in fright.

"Wha-what is it?" I asked worriedly. We stood from our chairs in unison.

"The train!" She exclaimed, hands on the sides of her face, "The Molentary Express! It is my only transportation home, and it leaves in twenty minutes! I won't make it in time!"

Luckily, I was thinking on my feet.

"Don't worry, Sophia. I have an idea!" I grabbed her hand, or rather the sleeve of my jacket she was still wearing, and lightly tugged her along as we raced through the room and out the oak doors. As soon as we came into the hallway, our feet skidded to a stop on the maroon carpet that ran along the floor. I could hear the familiar 'final dance' song father always commissioned the musicians to play when the ball was over. God knows I wasn't going through that ballroom again.

"This way!" I said, fleeing in the opposite direction of the music.

"But I thought the front door was that way?" Sophia questioned. One of her hands was in mine, and the other was holding up the skirt of her dress as she ran alongside me.

"We're heading for the alternate door, where we should find my butler, Nigel. He will surely give you a ride down to the station!" I answered, glancing back at her occasionally.

Sophia had no response, so we continued to run down the golden corridors. We reached the end of the hallway, then turned left towards the west of the castle. Even on the night of a ball, Nigel would be in the stables, tending to our few horses before bed. I was sure he would be there now. We passed the library, father's office, and a few guest rooms before finally reaching the less-formal side door, located adjacent to the stables. I opened the door quickly and forcefully with the momentum gained while running, but then slowed, let go of Sophia's hand and led her through. After assuring no one inside the castle saw us, I closed the door, and then turned to be met by a rather surprised Nigel. He stood just under the overhang of the stable's roof, a hefty-looking horse brush in his hand. Sophia was leaning against the castle wall to catch her breath; me, leaning forward with my hands on my knees. I hadn't realized how far our destination was from our starting point before running as fast as we did.

"Master Anton? I do not mean to impose, but shouldn't you be in the ballroom?" Nigel asked politely yet suspiciously.

"Yes, in fact we just came from there." I lied, still breathing heavily, "Miss Sophia here shall be late for her train if she does not get there within the next fifteen minutes. I trust that you would be able to take her to the Folsense Station by carriage?" I kept my pleading eyes on Nigel.

He nodded and set the brush down on one of the wooden posts next to him.

"Why yes, of course. If the master wishes so, it shall be done." Nigel clasped his hands together. "This way please, Mistress Sophia." gesturing her to follow.

I looked back up at Sophia, who had seemed to have caught her breath and was now wearing a small smile. Still in silence, we both followed Nigel around to the side of the building. He had reigns attached to a brown spotted horse in hand. When we reached the navy-blue carriage, he began to tie up the horse to the front while I helped Sophia inside. She was in mid-step to get up into the carriage, before she stopped and put her foot back onto the ground.

"Oh, before I forget..." She wiggled her arms free from my jacket, folded it vertically, then returned it to me with a sweet smile. I draped the jacket over my left forearm. I felt too warm to bother putting it back on. Sophia took both of my hands as I helped her back up into the carriage. She sat down into the stitched suede seats and sighed.

"I am extremely grateful for tonight, Anton. I am very glad that we had the chance to meet." Sophia continued to hold both of my hands.

I felt something in my chest flutter for a few moments.

"As am I, Sophia." I said back, the volume hardly above a whisper, "For now... I wait until the day that we meet again." I dropped her one hand, and then took the other with both of mine. I leaned down slightly, and slowly kissed the back of her hand.

"Until we meet again." She repeated quietly, a small glimmer rising in her sad, green eyes.

I caught sight of Nigel in my peripheral vision.

"The carriage is ready to leave, Master Anton." He notified me.

Mine and Sophia's eyes still locked, I nodded, and then set Sophia's hands back down on her lap. Our gazes were only broken by the ornate carriage door closing between us. Within moments, Nigel snapped the reigns and the horse clopped forward; the carriage trailing slowly behind it. I stood back a bit, while I watched them pull around the circular middle garden, and then turn into the forest. After passing some rosebushes, they were out of sight.

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**So... you like? :D hehehe I love making younger Anton the King of Awkward! It's so perfect for him; I think!**

**One last thing to ask you fantastic readers...**

**...**

**...**

**..**

**.**

**Strawberry Turnover? ;)**

**R&R please! Love you all! -Erin**


	8. Chapter 8

Yellow Hello :)

Yaaaaaaaay finally a new chapter! I, for some reason, particularly like this one! It seemed fun to write. Hopefully, I will upload ch.9 tomorrow or tonight, because I've actually been writing a lot this week (And trust me, that chapter is going to be good! ie: Anton tries to have a convo with his totally wasted brother Fredrich, still in the works though) Anyway, enjoy! Now I'm off to watch Big Bang Theory and Howl's Moving Castle!

*jumps away and tries to fly*

*doesn't work*

-Erin :D

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The farther they got from the castle, the more my heart began to slow again. Sophia was gone... My eyes were motionless, still staring at the space between the rosebushes where the carriage she was in had disappeared. That was when my mind began to wander again. I wondered if I would ever see Sophia again. Did she want to see me again? What did she think of me? I recalled the many periods of silence we went through in the stain glass room. Lord, she probably thought that I'm too shy... I raised my palm to my forehead, muttering words of ignorance to myself.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid.." Each exclamation was matched with a beat to the forehead.

I was interrupted by a group of obnoxious laughs from around the front of the castle, their owners likely getting in their own carriages to leave the ball. I gasped. Father! He's always requested me to be at the door, saying goodbye to the guests. And if I wasn't present now, he would track me down and chew me out as soon as he got his hands on me. I moved closer to the source of the laughter evenly and calmly. About 10 meters away, I saw father escorting a grey-haired woman to her carriage out front. As I closed in on them, I realized that she was a bit tipsy; no wonder she had such a death-grip on father. One wrong step and she would have fallen head over heels into the gravel below.

"Oh, just one more glass of wine, Archie!" She babbled while gingerly taking a few more steps.

"No no, Mrs. Forrest, I think that you've had quite enough!" Father replied with a laugh under his scruffy moustache. Old Mrs. Forrest was quite drunk, but she was causing no harm. They reached the side door of the carriage, and the chauffeur swiftly swung open the golden doors. I took advantage of father's back being turned by slipping past him and standing in front of the open main doors. I noticed my jacket still in my hands, so I rushed to put it back on before father turned around.

"Now Mrs. Forrest, we've reached your ride home. Do you need any assistance getting in?" Father asked.

"Oh, you're such a gentleman, Archie! But no thank you, I'm sure I can-" she let out a belch, "manage."

Sure enough, Mrs. Forrest got into her carriage safely by herself.

"Well, it was fantastic seeing you this evening, Mrs. Forrest. Go home, and get a good sleep!" Father chimed while the chauffeur closed the door, hopped up into his seat and snapped the reigns. The two well-groomed horses that were strapped to the reigns lurched forward, before keeping a steady pace and disappearing into the forest. Another carriage appeared and took the other's original place.

Father turned on his heel just as a few more guests trickled out from the front doors. I noticed his surprised expression in the corner of my eye before I turned to face the guests. He must have noticed me.

"Goodnight, milady! I trust you had a wonderful time tonight!" I bowed in the direction of the overly-dressed and now blushing woman, who must have been in her late thirties. "Lord Carlisle, it was delightful seeing you. Have a safe ride home!" I nodded in the spiffy-looking man's direction. Honestly, I was astonished that I had even recognized the man. Age has not been all that kind to him...

Father bid farewell to the remainder of the guests as well. We both held our most gentlemanly smiles until the last carriage had left. With only the two of us left, it was then that father advanced towards me, the glare in his eyes not looking very kind. He lifted his arm, pointing his index finger towards the still open door.

"Inside." was all he said to me.

Trying my hardest to look innocent, I obeyed his order. Father followed closely behind me, then slammed the doors shut. I don't think he meant to use that much force. I heard him lock and bolt the door, my back to him again. I looked out over the ballroom. The floor was still golden, but not sparkling as it usually was. My eyes moved down to my feet, where they tipped back and forth, heel to toe. I noticed a few wine stains on the carpet near my blue shoes. Hmm. I will have to notify Nigel of it first thing tomorrow morning.

"Anthony." Father finally spoke, forcefully trying to sound calm.

I cringed. "Yes father?" I turned to face him, hands behind my back. I hated it when he called me that.

"Where, exactly, were you tonight? Because you sure as hell weren't in the ballroom where you were supposed to be." He asked with a little bit more tone in his voice.

"I don't know what you mean, father. Why would I be anywhere else but the ballroom?" He was not going to find out where I actually was, at any cost.

"Oh? Were you now?"

He wasn't believing me for a second.

"Well then why were the lovely Minnie and Mandy dancing with your brother all night? You were supposed to be the one with them."

I laughed a little. "I suppose they were more interested in Fredrich."

"Fredrich is not the subject here, boy. You are!" Father probably attempted to look me dead in the eyes, but I had already turned back towards the ballroom. "Did you at least meet any of the other fine women I invited?" His voice suddenly sounded defeated and tired. Maybe his already apparent lack of sleep was catching up on him.

"One." I responded. He didn't need details right now.

"Which one was she?" He sounded a bit more eager. When I didn't respond, father huffed audibly. "This is not over, son. You are much too old to be playing these childish games."

"Good night, father." I leaped off the landing and down the ruby-coloured steps. I continued my pace across the ballroom floor, my shoes making a soft shuffling noise as I went. Reaching the grand staircase, I climbed up the many steps before turning left, and making my way down the hallway towards the serenity of my bedroom.


	9. Chapter 9

Good evening, Laytonettes! (and any Layton-guys, if guys even read this) Alas, another little chappy. Well, it's not really little. I think its one of my bigger chapters :P Anyway, I hope you enjoy this fun one! Reading it back to myself, I realize how much foreshadowing I included for my planned chapters ahead. One thing is really important, but the other is just minor.

*checks time* 6:25 pm. Toronto VS. Boston NHL game is at 7:00. Grrrrrrr I hope Toronto wins tonight. I know they're not the best, but they actually made the playoffs this year, and I'm sticking with them! Whoooooo! What team you're cheering for in the playoffs? (if you care lol)

Happy Reading!

-Erin

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Chapter 9

"Uuuuuggghhhh" I sighed loudly. Arms spread straight on either side of me, I fell backwards right onto the foot of my bed. My shoes were back on their shelf, my jacket in the laundry hamper, and my dress shirt still on me, but half unbuttoned. Ever since closing my bedroom door, my mind cannot seem to be able to get away from Sophia. Never in my whole life had I ever met a woman so kind, or caring, or beautiful. She reminded me so much of my mother. She wasn't conceited or overly glamorous like the women father would have forcefully pushed on me. He had personally invited her, so that must be a good sign. I remembered her laugh, light and cheery. Her eyes, like emeralds, glimmering in the moonlight. I could hardly explain it all. She was just... Spectacular.

Wait. Stop. I had to stop this right now. What was I doing, dreaming over this woman that I had only met once? I shouldn't be doing this. If I never had the chance to see her again, I would end up horribly disappointed. I sighed again, and noticed that I had been staring at the family heirloom hanging above my bed. It was a large version of the Herzen family crest, coloured with red, black and blue. An image of a lion was in the centre of the crest, along with two crossed swords that were affixed into the back of the whole thing. To be honest, I wasn't even sure how long they had been up on my wall. Though I remember as a young child, having a fear of the crest and swords falling on me during the night. I always slept to the far left of the bed, just in case.

"Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock, knock knock." I heard a slurred voice, muffled through my bedroom door. I didn't bother to look up. I wasn't sure who it was, though I was also confused as to why they didn't actually knock. The knocker decided to enter without permission a few seconds later.

"Antooooooonnnnnn...!" The same voice cooed as the door slowly crept open, followed by a few drunken giggles.

"Fredrich, what are you doing?" I asked. I really didn't want anyone provoking me right now.

Fredrich, his hair slightly tousled and holding an empty wine glass, wobbled into the room. I sat up on my bed as he came closer. Fredrich was just taller than the height of my mattress, so instead of sitting beside me, he rested his chin on the edge of the bed. He looked at me with slightly red eyes, and I returned his gaze with a confounded look. He hadn't yet told me why he just waltzed in here, but clearly my younger brother had too much alcohol this evening. Logic was likely the last thing on his mind.

"So. Brother... Just who was that lovely-looking purple-haired lady I spotted you with tonight?" He began right off the bat.

I was taken aback. My eyes now wide, I continued to stare at Fredrich. How did he know about Sophia? As soon as her name came to me, images and thoughts of her flooded back. And just when I thought she had gone from my mind.

"I...umm..." Was all I could say.

"Don't try and lie to me, Anton!" Fredrich waved his index finger at me, "I saw it all! You little flirt, you!" He made an effort to punch my arm playfully, but completely missed. Mortified, I looked away, and then stood from my bed. I tried to ignore Fredrich's laughter while I went over to my dresser, took off my dress shirt and threw it into the hamper.

"It's a shame that you won't tell me, brother... Because she was fiiiiiiine!" Fredrich remarked from across the room. I felt goose bumps rise all over my skin. My face burned. I quickly pulled on a thin flannel night shirt, then turned back towards my brother. He must have noticed my expression.

"Oh! But don't fret! I know she's yours for the taking!" He added a wink.

"Fredrich." I finally spoke sternly to get him to stop talking. He looked up and me in awe, shocked that I even said anything. He probably thought he was just being a tease, and not that what he was saying was actually getting on my nerves.

"May I ask you where exactly you saw Sophia and I?" Damn, I'd let her name slip.

"Oh? Sophia is her name?" He chuckled quietly, "Well, I was just outside having a quick smoke when you two came busting out the side door like mad men! Speaking of which..." Fredrich stopped talking and pulled a small cigarette and a book of matches from his jacket pocket. I quickly walked over to him and stole the match book before he could use them. I turned, and threw them out my open window.

"Please, continue." I said to him, hands on my hips. There was absolutely no smoking in my room, and Fredrich knew that. Besides, I wanted as much information out of him as I could before he forgot it. Fredrich looked disappointed, then irritated.

"That was my last set of matches..." he mumbled. I ignored his comment. "Anyway, I had to hide behind some shrubbery so you wouldn't notice me, but all I could see from there was you helping her into a carriage, and then kissing her hand before she left. Since when are you so interested in meeting women, Anton? I thought you didn't want to be wed?" Fredrich clamoured on, adding a few eccentric hand gestures here and there.

I huffed, giving up. I suppose could just tell him; he was utterly drunk! It was unlikely that he would even remember it tomorrow anyway.

"After you took Mandy and Minnie off my hands, I ran off to the stain glass room." I began to explain while sitting back down on my bed, "Sophia followed me there, and we ended up talking for a while. Next thing we knew it was 11 o'clock, and if she didn't get to the train station right away, she would have missed her ride home." I took a long pause, and bit my lip nervously before continuing, "She's different, Fredrich... I-"

*ssnnnooooorrreee*

I looked to my left to see Fredrich with his head down on the edge of my bed, asleep. I wasn't surprised. This was usually the end result of his weekends; falling asleep somewhere, then waking the next afternoon to find himself only half-sobered up.

I used Fredrich's small size to my advantage, by swiftly picking him up under the arms, and lugging him out of my room. He continued to snore like a bear, not even being stirred from his deep sleep. Instead of actually taking Fredrich to his own bedroom, I decided to just lay him on a couch in the West Den. After putting him down, he rolled over and snuggled into a throw pillow, still fast asleep. I smiled. Although the boy was now 18, his youth always seemed to show through in one way or another. I thought for a moment, and realized that I too was like that at times. I shook my head, and returned to my bedroom.

It was growing quite late and my body was tired, but my mind was still wide awake. I was just about to lie in bed when I caught sight of my writing desk. Changing my mind, I dragged my socked feet over to it and slumped into the wooden chair. My desk, which I had received from my father when I turned 16, was made of a dark-stained oak. I could even still catch the scent of the stain wafting through the air whenever I neared it. My fingers grasped the knobs of the top drawer, sliding it open with a quiet creak and pulled out an old diary. For some reason, I had remembered it all of a sudden, even though I had never written in it before. I couldn't even remember how I had come in possession of it. I stared at the front of the diary for a few moments. It bared a blooming purple flower on the cover, one that I could not recall the name of. I continued to look at the cover for a few seconds longer before opening the book to the first page. I reached for my fountain pen, and began to write.

"Diary Entry Number 1" I whispered aloud.

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Dat Forshadowing :3 Please let me know of any constructive criticisms you may have, or just drop a review about what you think! I value every one, they keep me writing! Thanks again.


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